Cyprus is a Mediterranean island with many exotic charms. Even though it is situated close to the Middle East, it is in fact a European country and is part of the European Union. Although northern and southern Cyprus has been historically in conflict with each other, open hostilities has long ceased and many tourists head to Cyprus every year to have their idyllic holiday getaways.
By Air - Visitors who fly to Cyprus will land at Larnaca International Airport, which is situated on the fringes of the town of Larnaka. There are quite a number of airline services which fly to Larnaca, but the most active and major airline at this airport would be Cyprus Airways. Visitors from places such as London, Frankfurt, Manchester, Rome, Amsterdam and Paris can usually find a Cyprus Airways flight that brings them directly to Larnaca. Visitors flying in from the Middle East will also find it fairly easy to get to Cyprus due to geographical proximity. However, do take note that due to the political situation and historical enmity between south Cyprus and Turkey, you will not be able to fly to Turkey from the south. While there are also other airline services that fly to Cyprus, most of these flights are scheduled to leave at night or in the early morning and thus may be slightly inconvenient. Visitors taking such fights are recommended to check with their hotels to confirm if they are able to check in early. Otherwise, you may be stranded until morning which is when check-ins are usually done.
By Boat - If you are from Greece, you may want to consider taking a connecting ferry to Cyprus. This ferry service is available from Piraeus, Rhodes and Ayios Nikolaos and will land you at Limassol in Cyprus. You can also take a connecting ferry from Turkey, which is available at Tasucu and lands you in Girne. Although there are no ferry services from Israel and Egypt, there are mini-cruises which are available at certain times of the year. Such mini-cruises can also take you to Cyprus from places such as the Greek Islands, Lebanon and Syria.
Travelling to North Cyprus - If you intend to go over to North Cyprus, you have the option of landing in Turkey before heading over to North Cyprus. You can also land at Larnaca Airport in South Cyprus and cross over the border. Although passing through the border may take some time, it is still possible and quite a number of visitors do it. You are highly recommended to use a taxi service to get through the border. Not all taxis may want to cross the border, so it might be a good idea to book a taxi in advance.
Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing Cyprus holiday apartments and vacation rentals worldwide.
